EU carbon market reform should include direct air capture, says Phlair CEO Malte Feucht

Malte Feucht, CEO of direct air capture startup Phlair, argues that the EU should integrate carbon removals into the Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) as part of its upcoming reform. He calls DAC the gold standard for removals and says German businesses can become leading suppliers of the technology globally, but state support is needed first to build the industry before it becomes cost competitive in a regulated market. The interview covers Germany's ambition to become a world market leader in carbon removal technologies. Feucht says that while large-scale DAC facilities may not be built in Germany, the country can develop the technology and become a supplier for Europe and beyond. He points to existing German industrial strengths in areas like sensor and measurement technology as a foundation for this role.